Fire extinguisher



mes; 4,1923 I 1,476,594

' C. A. CONOVER FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed June 21 1921 INVENTOR C. A. (To v0 l R.

' ATTORNEYS Patented twee. 41-, 319.23..

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CLAUDE A. CONOVER, OF NEWB'URGH, NEW YORK. 4

FIRE nx'rmeursuuri.

Application filed June-21, 192k Serial No. 479,265.

To all whom it mag concern: I Be it known that I, CLAUDE A. CoNovER,

. a. citizen of the United States, and a resi dent of Newburgh, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have inventeda new and Improved Fire Extinguisher, of which Another object in view is to provide a fire extinguisher for automobiles which may be arranged beneath the hood or at some convenient point and connected with control means arranged at difierent points whereby the extinguisher may be automatically, op-

erated by reason of fire at some point disi will also automatically move certain pa rts.

tant from the extinguisher itself.

A further object, more specifically, is to provide a fire extinguisher with means which will automatically hold the extin guishing fluid in a sealed container but of the container to cause a discharge of the fluid in case of fire container.

In the accompanying drawing Figure'l is a diagram showing one embodiment of the invention as applied to an automobile.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View through the extinguishing member shown in Figure 1. r

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through Figure 2 on line 3-3.

In using an automobile, oftentimes theengine or certain parts of the engine becomes heated and even fire occurs beneath the hood without the driver being aware of the same. until some considerable damage has been done. In other devices where internal combustion engines are used, similar difiiculties are (present.

tinguishing devices have been provided which wilLoperate properly when actuated by the driver but will not automatically take care of the fire conditions within the hood;

' without injuring thev Various fire .ex-

In the present invention it is intended to present a device which will automatically take care of'fire Within the hood of an automobile regardless of whether thefire is atthe particular point where the extinguisher member is placed.

Referring to the accompanying drawin by numerals, 1 indicates a oonventionzil hood for an automobile and 2a fire extinguisher member or tank adapted to discharge an extinguishing liquid 3 when operated, said liquid forming a smothering gas as soon as released. This liquid may be any of the common extinguishing liquids now on the market or a special liquid as preferred. The container 2 comprises a cylindrical body 3 as shown in Figure 2.

having a series of apertures 4 near one end.

It will be noted that the body of the container is provided with ends 5 and 6, end5 being liquid tight while-end 6 is also liquid tight on the edges but in the center permits the tube 7 to reciprocate. A comparatively weak spring 8 is positioned to rest on the bottom 5 and support a disk 9 which ma be of metal or other suitable material and w ich in turn is provided with a gasket orring 10 of cork or other suitable material which will maintain a tight joint and will also resist the action of the liquid 3. The ring or gasket 10 normally closes the openings 4 by reason of the fact that the spring 8 is sufliciently strong to hold the parts normally. in the position shown in Figure 2 against the weight ofthe liquid 3. At the upper end of the container 2 a piston 11 is provided having a packing jrfing or gasket 12 act cork or other suitable material. A comparatively strong spring 13 acts against end 6 and'against the piston 11 so as to force said piston downward-1y toward end 5 whenever the piston 11 is released. As spring '13 is stronger than spring 8, it will force the piston downwardly when released and will force the disk 9 downwardly smallstreams and, consequently, will readily evaporate for producing a smothering gas.

The gas will not only act in the immediate vieinityof the eentainer but will permeate practicallyall parts of the hood and will reduce the supply of air to such an extent as to cause any fire Within the hood to be choked or put out. .This action is automatic and is performed quickly and effectively without requiring the attention of iii the driver or any other operator.

In Figure 1 a mechanism has been shown which will produce this automatic action. This consists in providing a support for the tube 7, which tube is rigidly connected upper part of the handle.

with the piston 11 and is provided with a filling hole normally closed by plug; 14. The upper end of the tube 7 is formed into a handle 15 so, that it may be readily raised and the lockihg pin or catch 16 caused to snap into the aperture 17 provided in the The catch 16 is slidingly mounted in a suitable bracket- 18 fixed in any suitable manner to the dashboard or other part of the automobile while uid to be expelled through the spray holes4.-.

a spring 19 acts against bracket 18 and against pin 20 for normally holding the catch-16 in engagement with the handle 15. The catch 16 is connected by a link or other suitable means 21 with the core '22 of solenoid 23 which solenoid is supportedin' any desired manner on the dashboard of the autofnobile or other suitable support. A battery orother suitable source of electric supply 24:

has one side connected to the solenoid 23 and the-opposite side connected with a thermostat 25. The stationary contact 26 of the thermostat is connected through wire 27 to the'solenoid 23 so that when the thermostat 25 is subjected to 'a certain rise in tempera: ture, the circuit .will be closed and solenoid 23 will become energized. This will cause a disengagement of the catch 16 fromhandle 15, and consequently, piston 11 will be released so that the spring 23 may force said piston downwardly and cause the liq- In the drawing, only bne thermostat 25 has been shown but it will be evident that any desired number could be connected up withthe use ofcurrent and .with'the solenoid 23 'so that in case a fire should occur at any point within the hood, the circuit will be closedv andthe liquid discharged. It will be, of course, evident that the thermostat will act independently ofany driver amassecovering means to be moved away from the openings and allow the fire extinguishing fluid in the container to be discharged through said openings.

2. A. fire extinguisher of the character describedcomprising a container provided with openings in the sides and near the bottom but spaced from the bottom, a disk arranged in the container, a spring for holding said disk so as to close said openings, said container being adapted to contain fire extinguishing liquid, a piston arranged in said container adapted to press agalnst the a liquid, a spring for actuatingsaid piston wiereby the first mentioned spring is overcome and the disk moved away from said openings so that said liquid may flow therethrough, a catch for normally holding said piston against'operation, and electrically operated means for moving said catch to a disengaged position, said means including a thermostat for closing the circuit.

3. A, fire extinguisher of the character described comprising a tank provided with a number of openings therein, a closure for said openings, a spring for normally holding said closure over the openings, said container being adapted to contain a fire extinguishing liquid, meansarranged in'the container for pressing against the liquid and thereby forcing said closure away from -.said openings against the action of said spring, said means having a member extending to a point exteriorly of the container, a catch engaging said member, a solenoid adapted to move said catch to a disengaged position when energized, and a circuit for said solenoid, said circuit including a source of current and a pair of contacts, one of said contacts being carried by a thermostat. 4; A fire extinguisher comprising a liquid receiving container provided with openings, aspring pressed closure for said openings, a spring pressed piston acting on the liquid in the container for forcing said closure away from said openings whereby the liquid may be discharged through'said openings, I

a spring pressed catch for normally holding said piston against movement, ,a solenoid V for moving said catch to. a disengaged position against the action of its spring, a pair of contacts, athermostat for closing said contacts, and a circuit including a source' of current, said-contacts and said solenoid; A fire extinguisher comprising a contamer adapted to contain fire extinguishing -liquid, said container having apertures therein a short distancefrom the bottom, a partition disk arranged .in said container, a'cork ring arranged on said disk and acting as a packing ring, a spring for supporting saiddisk so that the packing ring thereof will normally cover said openings, at piston arranged in said container, a cork packlug rmgfor .said piston, a power spring iac acting on said piston for" moving the same said power spring, a solenoid for moving when released so as to force said liquid sai'd catch toadisengaged position, and ap 1 downwardly until the first mentioned spring circuit for said solenoid, .said circuit inhas been compressed sufficiently to permit eluding a source of current, a pair of con- 5 the liquid tofiow out said openings, a catch mats and a thermostat for closing said conco-acting with said piston for normally preteats. venting its movement under the action of CLAUDE A. CONOVER. 

